Operations Team Leader

Surrey County Council; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in Old Woking is seeking an Operations Team Leader to manage and deliver excellent catering services across schools. You will ensure food quality and customer satisfaction while monitoring financial performance. This term-time only role offers a competitive salary and opportunities for ongoing training and development. Ideal candidates will have experience in food service management and strong leadership skills.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Final salary pension

Health and wellbeing support

Ongoing training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience managing teams in a catering or operational environment.
• Strong understanding of food standards and operational compliance.
• Excellent people management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of catering service across assigned schools.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and health policies.
• Monitor financial performance and manage team development.

Skills

Food service management

Customer service

Leadership

Financial management

Job description

Overview

As an Operations Team Leader, you will play a key role in delivering a first‑class catering service across your portfolio of schools. You will lead, support and manage Chef Managers and site teams, ensuring that the highest standards of food quality, customer service, food safety and health and safety are consistently achieved. Customer service is at the heart of the Twelve15, and you will work closely with school clients and internal stakeholders, acting as a key point of contact and ensuring that service delivery meets agreed standards and contractual expectations. You will also be responsible for ensuring financial targets are met or exceeded, to train and develop your team to reach their full potential and work towards maximising customer participation and client engagement. This role champions strong standards, accountability and a “one team” culture, encouraging growth and development within teams to deliver service excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead on the delivery of the Twelve15 service across a defined portfolio, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality and customer service
• Ensure compliance with minimum standards of operation, food safety and health and safety policies
• Monitor and manage financial performance, ensuring budgets and targets are met or exceeded
• Communicate effectively with school clients and stakeholders, managing relationships and expectations
• Capture, monitor and report performance data using CRM and other systems
• Actively support and implement Twelve15 business development and marketing plans across sites
• Performance‑manage and develop team members, encouraging growth, engagement and continuous improvement
• Promote a strong “one team” culture aligned with the Twelve15 Vision and Mission
• Proven experience managing teams in a catering, food service or operational environment
• Strong understanding of food standards, customer service and operational compliance
• Experience managing budgets and delivering against financial targets
• Excellent people management, leadership and communication skills
• Ability to work independently across multiple locations

Qualifications

We’d love your application to evidence how your skills and experience align with this role and with Twelve15’s values and behaviours. We also welcome applications from candidates who may not meet every requirement but bring strong transferable experience and a passion for service excellence.

Compensation & Conditions

This role has a starting salary of £32,535 for working 36 hours per week, 40 weeks per year (pro rata to £36,873 full‑time equivalent). This is a fixed‑term / secondment opportunity until August 2026, supporting the continued delivery of the Twelve15 service. It is a term‑time only role, working 36 hours per week, 40 weeks per year. Although you will only work during term time, you will receive a monthly salary paid evenly across the year, including school holidays.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Final salary pension
• Discounts on various services including food shopping
• Health and wellbeing support
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Full induction and structured onboarding
• Term‑time only working to support work/life balance
• Ongoing training and development opportunities